Median Income
$62,582
household / year
Median Home Value
N/A
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,864
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Fort Carson, CO a Good Place to Live?

Fort Carson is a small city of 18,105 in Colorado, with a median household income of $62,582 and a 1.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Fort Carson stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Fort Carson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Fort Carson city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.4

Fort Carson's overall cost of living index is 97.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fort Carson costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Fort Carson, CO National Avg
Median Home Value N/A $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,864 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 0.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $62,582 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Fort Carson's violent crime rate is 589.0 per 100,000 residents — 55% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
589.0 /100k
Property Crime
2809.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Fort Carson is served primarily by Fountain School District No. 8 in the county of El Paso an. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Fort Carson, CO National Avg
School District Fountain School District No. 8 in the county of El Paso an —
Elementary Schools 8 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 98.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Fort Carson sees average highs of 45.0°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 18.1 inches of annual precipitation and 32.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricFort Carson, CO
Average High — January45.0°F
Average High — July86.5°F
Annual Precipitation18.1"
Annual Snowfall32.5"

Demographics

MetricFort Carson, CONational Avg
Population18,105—
Median Age21.938.9
Unemployment Rate1.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time10.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)66.0%59.3%
Black or African American15.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino9.4%18.9%
Asian1.8%6.3%
Under 1826.2%22.2%
65 and over0.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Fountain, CO 4 mi Rock Creek Park, CO 5 mi Security-Widefield, CO 5 mi Stratmoor, CO 6 mi Cimarron Hills, CO 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Fort Carson

Fort Carson, CO is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

80913 80902

Fort Carson vs Other Cities

Fort Carson, CO vs Fountain, CO Fort Carson, CO vs Rock Creek Park, CO Fort Carson, CO vs Security-Widefield, CO Fort Carson, CO vs Stratmoor, CO Fort Carson, CO vs Cimarron Hills, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Carson's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Fort Carson roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is N/A and median rent is $1,864/month.
Fort Carson's violent crime rate is 589.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2809.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Fort Carson are operated by Fountain School District No. 8 in the county of El Paso an. The district has 8 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.4:1. 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Fort Carson, CO has a population of 18,105, a median household income of $62,582, and an unemployment rate of 1.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Fort Carson averages 45.0°F in January and 86.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 18.1 inches with about 32.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Fort Carson, CO is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 80913, 80902.
The population of Fort Carson, Colorado is 18,105 with a median age of 21.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fort Carson: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home N/A, median household income $62,582, crime index 147 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fort Carson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.